Information for this article was provided by Milwaukee Makers Marketplace, proud supporters of Radio Milwaukee. All content was reviewed and edited by Radio Milwaukee staff to ensure its resonance with our audience and mission.
Dreams spring up all over Milwaukee. Ryan Laessig’s started in the parking lot of Colectivo at the intersection of Kinnickinnic & Lincoln Avenues in Bay View. It was 2017, and a modest outdoor market took over the space, welcoming a small gathering of local creators and shoppers.
Over the years, the Milwaukee Makers Market grew into the largest and longest-running monthly makers market in the city, drawing vendors and shoppers alike to venues like Discovery World Museum, American Family Field and The Ivy House.
Then, in September of 2024, that dream literally got more concrete with the opening of the Milwaukee Makers Marketplace — a brick-and-mortar location on a quiet stretch just a few blocks from that first market nearly a decade ago.
At 2625 S. Greeley Street, Milwaukee’s makers have a permanent address, and so do the people looking to support our city’s creatives. “Every dollar spent inside our marketplace is put right back into the local maker economy and community,” said Laessig, owner of the Milwaukee Makers Market and Marketplace. “It’s important to know your money is going to support locally, and you should take pride in knowing you’re helping these people's dreams succeed.”
Success takes a lot of different shapes within the marketplace: original wall art, a hand-thrown ceramic mug, a unique piece of jewelry and plenty more, all supplied by an eclectic mix of Milwaukee's own makers, bakers, students and artists.
Linny's Artsy Fingers offers carefully crafted bracelets, SmitTin displays one-of-a-kind upcycled vintage jewelry, and Makery Maven Co. peddles other handmade goods. The clothing side of things gets handled by local brands like Slacker Posse and Giltee Apparel. And beloved vendors including Big White Yeti, Nourish Natural Products, Maebel Jewelry and Artery Ink have all found a home within the marketplace.
The idea behind it all is to give the city a store not just for Milwaukee, but by Milwaukee. That feel extends beyond retail, with a space that doubles as a community gallery, hosting quarterly exhibitions that have featured works by local artists like Kimberly Burnett, Hannah Tews, Al Poma, Adam Matthew, David Beyer and Laessig himself.
The Milwaukee Makers Market — the pop-up series that spawned the permanent store — has been voted best in the city multiple years running, and its ethos carries over to the storefront: a welcoming atmosphere and an unwavering commitment to the local entrepreneurial spirit.
In a place known for its strong neighborhood identity and working-class pride, the Milwaukee Makers Marketplace offers something increasingly rare: a store where every purchase tells a story about the person who bought it, the person who made it and the city where it was created.